The present invention relates generally to printers, and more particularly, to a media loader for use in a printer. More particularly still, the invention concerns an adjustable media loader insert for placement in an input tray of a printer to accommodate input of small-size media into the printer for printing.
Although printers typically are used to print on media of various media sizes, most printers have a maximum media width capacity, and correspondingly, a minimum media width on which effective printing can be accomplished. Some printers, such as high speed laser printers, provide dedicated input media trays for each media size. Lower cost printers, such as mass-market inkjet printers, generally have only one tray, typically accommodating letter-size media (8.5xe2x80x3xc3x9711xe2x80x3), with some adaptability to accommodate printing on media of different sizes.
In order to accommodate printing on media of different width media, printers often employ adjustable media edge stops that slide to constrain the side edges of narrower media sheets. Printing on media shorter than standard letter-size length normally is accommodated by feeding a stack of the shorter media into an input tray until its leading edge abuts a stop. While this has proven workable in some instances to accommodate envelopes and smaller index cards, there have been disadvantages to this approach.
Some printers, for example, have input trays that are not removable, and which extend well into the body of the printer. This leaves a significant distance between the media insertion aperture and the leading edge stop. It thus may be difficult to load or extract media which is shorter than this distance. Furthermore, it may be difficult to adjust the media edge stop in a manner necessary to maintain the media in its proper lateral position.
A further difficulty in accommodating smaller media sizes is that many printers rely on a common media registration scheme, such as using one edge of a media tray as a fixed side edge reference for all media sizes. Any measures to accommodate smaller media that do not provide contact with this reference surface will require printer firmware changes, generating cost and complexity disadvantages.
Additionally, even printers which do overcome problems with loading smaller media may not be adequately adjustable in width, leading to problems of unacceptable media skew. For example, media edge stops typically are adapted to engage a central region of standard size media sheets, laterally biasing the media in order to maintain proper input stack orientation. It will be appreciated, however, that smaller media typically is engaged nearer a trailing end of the media, potentially skewing the media as it enters the insertion aperture. This may be exacerbated as the input tray floor pivots upward, making it difficult to maintain a lateral biasing force on the input media stack.
The present invention addresses difficulties associated with printing on small-size media such as A6 media and Hagaki media by employing a media loader insert for removable insertion into an input tray of a printer. The media loader insert includes an insert body which defines a reduced-size media receptacle configured to receive small-size media for insertion into the printer input port. The insert body has a width corresponding to the width of letter-size paper, and thus is sized to fit securely within a conventional input tray. A width adjuster is provided adjacent the reduced-size media receptacle, the width adjuster being positioned centrally along a side edge of the reduced-size media receptacle to centrally engage a side edge of media within the reduced-size media receptacle, thereby reducing media skew.